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Based on the novels written by Ann Cleeves, join Brenda Blethyn as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope as she tries to crack some of the toughest cases in Northumberland. DCI Stanhope is obsessive about her work and driven by her own demons. If she's lonely she doesn't show it and faces the world with caustic wit, guile and courage. Her trusted and long suffering colleague Joe Ashworth is her right-hand man and surrogate son.

DCI Vera Stanhope investigates the brutal murder of young physiotherapist, Lizzie Faulkner, gunned down at a luxury country retreat. (1 of 4)

Poster Child

When respected surgeon, Dan Marsden, is shot dead days before his retirement and his teen daughters abducted, DCI Vera Stanhope and her team face a race against time to track down the killer and save the sisters. (2 of 4)

Young Gods

DCI Vera Stanhope delves into the tangled past of extreme sports fanatic, Gideon Frane, when he plunges from a cliff top into a ball of flames. (3 of 4)

Ann Cleeves Q&A

Vera and Shetland are two of Knowledge Network’s most popular series, intriguing audiences with their unique blend of thrills and mystery. Both programs also happen to be inspired by books hailing from the mind of author Ann Cleeves, who took some time to answer a few of our questions.

Ann Cleeves Q&A

Were there any specific incidents that prompted you to take up writing crime? How did it all come about?

Ann Cleeves: I started writing when I was living on the tiny tidal island of Hilbre, in the Dee estuary off the North West coast of England. My husband and I were the only residents and I'd stopped working because I was pregnant. Once the tide came in there were no interruptions so it was a perfect writer's retreat. I chose crime fiction because it was always my comfort reading. If I was miserable I'd escape into the Golden Age mysteries of Dorothy Sayers or Margery Allingham.

What were your initial impressions on the televised representations of your characters?

AC: I met both the lead actors - Brenda Blethyn and Douglas Henshall - before seeing them on the screen and neither matched the image I had in my head of Vera or Jimmy Perez. Brenda is petite and very elegant and Douglas doesn't look at all like the dark-haired man of Spanish ancestry of the Shetland books. But once I'd seen them working I knew they'd be very good. Both absolutely capture the essence of my characters. I've been very fortunate.

What is your relationship with the creative teams on both shows?

AC: The same production company - ITV studios - makes both series. I don't have any official relationship with the creative teams but we get on very well informally. I meet the writers before they embark on the scripts and take the writers of Shetland up to the islands so they can get a sense of the very special place. The Vera writers come to Northumberland too, and we meet up in my house in the evening for supper. It's become a lovely tradition.

Are there any plans to write an episode of either series? How about making an appearance?

AC: No to both questions! Scriptwriting is a very different art and much more pressured. The deadlines are very tight and changes are still being made right up to the start of filming. And while I enjoy visiting the set, it's to catch up with the friends I've made there. The filming itself is very meticulous and you need endless patience to be a part of it.

Have the programs influenced your writing in any way, for better or for worse? Is there any sense of obligation to the characters following the success of both shows?

AC: I try to keep the television and the novels separate in my mind. They are such different forms and while actors leave the shows I still keep the old team in the books. I do hear Brenda's voice in my head while I'm writing dialogue though!

The locations play a large role in immersing readers and viewers in both series. Have you received any feedback from the communities in which you’ve set Vera Stanhope and the Shetland Island series?

AC: I live in north east England, where the Vera books are based and where the TV show is filmed. I think the people there feel very proud of the beautiful landscape and are delighted that it's being seen all over the world. I'm proud to be bringing tourists - and jobs - to the region. Shetlanders were a bit wary when the pilot of the show was first broadcast, but now they're very much a part of it. They enjoy the times when the BBC is visiting for filming and quite a few of them have appeared as extras. I've always had a great reaction to the books; I visit 4 or 5 times a year and always launch the books there.

Are Shetland and Vera your current focus or are there any other detectives waiting in the wings? Are there any plans to revisit past series such as Inspector Ramsay or George and Molly?

AC:Shetland and Vera are fuelling my imagination for the moment, but there might be new characters in the future.

Are there any chances of a crossover in either television or a future novel?

AC: No plans at the moment! Maybe it would make a Christmas special... Or something for Comic Relief...

How would Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez get along? Would they work well together or step on each other’s toes?

I think they might get on very well. Vera would probably want to be the boss though. And Jimmy's so kind that he'd probably let her be.